What are you up to these days?
I am working on a remix for Adam Freeland from Marine Parade. It is a single taken from his new album to be released in early 2009.
From punk rocker to an electronic music DJ/producer?
The punk band I was singing and playing guitar for used to share the rehearsal room with a reggae/ska band. That was my first contact with black music, at the end of the ’80s. Their bass player got me into dub, which in my opinion is one of the most influential music production styles, especially related to today’s music. As a final listener you may not notice, but so many different styles use production techniques pioneered in dub. Dub was my foot in the door to electronic music. From there I was lucky enough to live in London during the time labels like Wrap and Rephlex were leading and inspiring the underground music scene. The ’90s were a very interesting time for me and, being in the UK when bands like Prodigy and Meat Beat Manifesto were making history, I was very lucky indeed. I stayed in London just in time to experience the birth of what today people call dubstep before I moved to Japan.
What do you find so attractive in dub?
There are various reasons why I got hooked on dub (and then dubstep). First of all the sloppy feel you get listening to a dub track. It’s something very different from the cold and rigid quantized approach in other genres of music. It’s a very simple music to some extent but if you pay attention, there is so much going on, just in a very subtle way. Secondly for a music producer and sound engineer like myself, dub literally opened a new way to produce a song. Dub was created in the studio at night after the engineer had recorded reggae bands and was messing around with individual tracks in a very experimental way. The mixing desk becomes an instrument itself with an endless number of possibilities and tricks. Most of the mainstream genres owe a lot to dub engineering techniques. Sound design is nowadays more than ever a very important aspect of music. Unfortunately, sometimes the compositional aspect is left on the side.
Can you tell us about the creation of the Final Fantasy project this summer?
I met Nobuo Umemtasu, the original composer of the Final Fantasy music and lead member/founder of the prog-rock band Black Mages, a few years ago through a common friend. I gave him a CD I had with me containing some of my music and productions and he contacted me after few months asking if I was interested in remixing some of his compositions. I was, of course, very honoured to do that. I had to follow his directions about style as I approached each remix. The final product was specifically aimed at a certain target market which, to be honest, I wasn’t very knowledgeable about. It’s been a pleasure working with their team.
Are you a fan of the game or the animation?
I have played a few episodes – I think it was number five, six and seven. I tried following episodes sporadically but I think the change in the graphic style lost some appeal for me.
What do you see in the future of electronic music?
I think it’s very exciting in the electronic music scene right now. I’m always open to new ways to express my music ideas both in the studio and during my live show. We are also witnessing important changes not only in certain processes of music, but in the business models – today the music industry looks almost nothing like the industry of few decades ago. There are a ton of reasons for that, most having to do with digital technology, but that’s a long topic and I don’t want to bore you with it. But it’s definitely influencing outcomes from independent artists: Think about how many indie labels and artists broke into the top billboards in the past few years. But the future of music? I don’t know what that will be.
MattB will be playing at Heavy Present: Dubstep Forward with N1D and Kastocha in support at Sammi’s Kitchen (137-139 Connaught Road, Sheung Wan, 9867 1678)on October 10. The party starts at 10pm and entry is $100 with one drink if you arrive before midnight.
October 3
Pimpin’ Ain’t Easy at CLIQ has moved to the first Friday of every month. DJs Hatchmatik, Enso and Miss Yellow spin. The party starts at 10:30pm and entry is $200 with one drink. Free vodka before 11:30pm. 2/F, 1 On Hing Terrace, Central, 2868 3111.
Chivas Beats & Blends Party at Bubbles starts at 10:30pm tonight. Entry price is $100 including one Chivas drink. 6/F, One Knutsford, 1 Knutsford Terrace, 2378 6934.
DJ Dolly plays funky house and electro at Beijing Club. Party starts at midnight and entry is $300 at door. 5/F, Wellington Place, 2-8 Wellington St, 2526 8298.
October 4
Chivas Beats & Blends Party at Tribeca at 10:30pm. Entry is $100 for girls and $150 for boys, including a Chivas drink. 4/F, Renaissance Harbour View Hotel Hong Kong, Wan Chai, 2824 0523.
Tekstract goes mental with double headliners – life4land crew and a live set from Cambridge’s Stivs and Ghost. Expect a night of IDM, jungle breakcore and hard techno with supporting DJs Nerve, Saiyan and Le Libertin at Sammi’s Kitchen. Entry is $100 with one drink before midnight and $100 without after. 137-139 Connaught Road, Sheung Wan, heavyhk@gmail.com.
A two-day music festival at Big Wave Bay will start at 9pm and entry is $290 with all-you-can-drink until 4am. DJs Akw, Collo, Michael Langton, Christian and Kastoacha spin. Email breakthrough@skylabel.com for enquiries.
DJ Jamie Lewis, winner of the 9th edition of the DJ Awards of Ibiza, spins at Dragon I. The door charge for the night is $300 and the gig starts after midnight. UG/F, The Centrium, 60 Wyndham Street, Central, 3110 1222.
Buddha Lounge Sessions with DJ Lone Wolf, DJ Lloyd and DJ Kali spinning deep house, funk, techno and breaks. Music starts at 11pm and entry is free. 23 Hollywood Road, Central, 2526 2562.
October 8
HETEROgENIUS presents Play at Pi every Wednesday. Music starts at 9pm. 28/F, 8 Wyndham Street, 2868 1162.
Ladies’ night at Beijing Club – entry is free for ladies plus one drink. 5/F, Wellington Place, 2-8 Wellington Street, 2526 8298.
October 9
It’s an Afro Caribbean Fever Party at Makumba with everything from reggae to tribal. G/F, Garley Building, 48 Peel Street, Central, 2522 0544.
Get groovy at the reggae night at V13. The line-up is DJs Peanut, Blood Dunza, Stef:funn, J and Fungboy. The music starts at 7:30pm and entry is free. 13 Old Bailey Street, Soho, Central, 9803 6650.
Ladies’ Night at Club No.9. Free entry and a cocktail for ladies and $140 men. 3/F, The Galleria, 9 Queens Road, 2973 6899.
October 10
German sensation Boys Noize spins at Volar tonight. Free entry for all on the guest list before midnight, for non-members it’s $200 after the witching hour. B/F, D’Aguilar St, Lan Kwai Fong, 2805 0028.
DJ Romi returns to Beijing Club with his signature house tunes. Party starts at midnight and entry is $300 at door. 5/F, 2-8 Wellington St, 2526 8298.
October 11
Brooklyn-based DJ Disciple plays deep house at Dragon I. The door charge for the night is $300 and the gig starts after midnight. UG/F, The Centrium, 60 Wyndham Street, Central, 3110 1222.
LA’s DJ Kemal plays house music at ARMANI/BAR. The cover charge is $200 in advance or $150 at the door, both prices include one drink. 2/F, Chater House, 11 Chater Road, Central, 2805 0028.
October 17
Flat Six and Heterogenius present San Francisco producer and DJ Kaskade at CLIQ. Supporting DJs are Preston Lau and DJ Forest. The party starts at 10:30pm and advance tickets are $220 from HMV, CLIQ and Flat Six, or you can walk-in at $260. |
